finally

adverb

fi·​nal·​ly ˈfī-nᵊl-ē How to pronounce finally (audio)
ˈfīn-lē
1
: after a prolonged time : at the end of period of time
Two hours later, the train finally arrived.
He finally got around to calling.
I'm so happy to finally meet you!
It finally dawned on me what she'd meant.
2
a
: as the last act or occurrence in a series : in the end : eventually
After many attempts, they finally gave up.
"My career meandered all over the place and I finally settled on comedic acting. …"Cassandra Peterson
"He listened to the whole thing, very attentive, and finally he turned to the doctor and he said, 'I have a question.'"Russell Newman
b
: by way of conclusion : as the last point
"… Finally, I'd like to thank the fans for their great support …"Joe Girardi
c
: in the end : ultimately
What finally matters is whether you're likely to drink enough of the organisms to make you sick.Peter Jaret
3
old-fashioned : in a final manner : in a way that does not allow change
I have reason for asking this question which you have answered so finally.Willa Cather
She said it so finally … that Mr. Pumblechook … could not protest.Charles Dickens
… the power to decide finally and conclusively upon all motions made in the course of legislative proceedings …John G. Carlisle

Examples of finally in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This latest error comes about two weeks after colleges finally started to receive financial data from the Education Department. Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 24 Mar. 2024 For Hillman and other Indigenous activists, the struggle to restore the Klamath involved years of protests — including outside a Scottish Power shareholders meeting in Edinburgh when the U.K. company owned PacifiCorp — until agreements were finally negotiated to remove the hydroelectric dams. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2024 Pegula, who has never advanced past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tourney despite spending most of the past three years ranked in the top five, is trying to finally break through behind bold decision-making. David Wilson, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2024 Completion of the reef expansion in 2021 finally brought the thriving seaweed beds and fish families that the commission had been seeking for 30 years. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2024 There are few things better than finally trading your painful bra for one that doesn’t jab your midsection or dig into your shoulders. Averi Baudler, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2024 Fired Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich finally came out a winner — barely — through the sale of his south Charlotte home. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 23 Mar. 2024 The timing couldn’t be worse: Her beloved grandmother on the East Coast is dying and her husband’s acting career is finally taking off. Jim Ruland, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Demus and Kynard are expected to finally receive their medals this summer during the Paris Olympics, according to officials at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee. Jeré Longman, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'finally.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of finally was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near finally

Cite this Entry

“Finally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finally. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on finally

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!